Online privacy, the consumer and do not track lists

January 6, 2011

Hour 1

Have you ever had the experience of shopping for something online – maybe a new TV — and the next day suddenly you’re being bombarded with ads for televisions. When we’re online, visiting sites, we are being watched, spied on — tracked. A lot of people are worried about the lack of privacy online and now the Federal Trade Commission has proposed a “Do Not Track” list. Like the “Do Not Call” list that protects people from telemarketing phone calls, the “Do Not Track” list would allow people to opt out of being followed online. In this hour, we’ll talk to computer privacy expert LORRIE CRANOR about how tracking works and how we can protect ourselves. We’ll also get the advertisers’ perspective from MIKE ZANEIS, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane can be heard over the airwaves from 10-11 a.m. and 11-noon Eastern time weekdays on 90.9 FM in the Delaware Valley, and rebroadcast from 10-11 p.m. as well. Radio Times is also heard live on the Sirius - XM channel NPR Now 122, weekdays from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern.